【日式米汉堡】Japanese Rice Burger

多年前日本快餐连锁店摩斯汉堡（MOS burger）进军马来西亚，开业时我和几位同事一起去尝了他们家有名的米汉堡，一吃就爱上了米汉堡的味道。后来摩斯汉堡店选择了离开马来西亚市场，我也再没机会吃上我喜欢的米汉堡了。

前几天我做了日式汉堡肉当晚餐，第二天早上做了我想念的米汉堡当早餐，真是让人分外满足的一份早饭呢！

Years back the Japanese fast food chain MOS burger opened its stores in Malaysia, I went with my colleagues and fell in love with the Rice burger they served. Unfortunately the restaurants didn't do too well in Malaysia and they had to eventually pull all stores out from the market.

I made Japanese Hambugu Steak (ハンバーグ) few days back for dinner, and made this delicious Rice Burger with the remaining burger meat for brunch the next day. 

Just so that you know, This Rice Burger is actually the reason I made the Hambugu Steak! It really did taste like the signature rice burger of the MOS!

【日式汉堡肉】Japanese Hambugu Steak (ハンバーグ)

多年前去日本当交换生时第一次吃这个日式汉堡肉，对于汉堡肉不带面包吃的这个操作充满好奇，也非常喜欢。来了美国后一直想要在家做这个汉堡肉吃，但我们家很少吃/做牛肉，所以也一直没实现。

最近因为疫情一直被关在家里，邻居法兰克是个独居老人，平时我做了好吃的会送一份过去放他门口。自从超市开放早上时段让老人购物后，法兰克去购物时就会给我带些食材，我不想给没收入的他带来压力，所以每次他问我要什么的时候都说我不需要。于是他就会按他自己的购物习惯给我多带一两样，前几天他送来了两包的有机牛肉末。

既然有了牛肉末，就做一次日式汉堡肉给儿子尝尝吧！结果儿子非常喜欢，吃完了还交代说第二天一定要吃一模一样的午餐噢！

The first time I had this Hamburger steak was in Japan as an exchanged student, the way Japanese served their burger patties without bread was really new to me and with great surprise, it tasted really well together with some rice served on the side!

My neighbor brought me two packets of organic minced beef few days ago, I immediately know what I am going to do with it! Dear son loves the hamburger steak I made with it and was requesting the same lunch again the next day.

Japanese Katsu Curry カツカレー 咖喱猪扒饭

This curry rice is one of my comfort foods, I fell in love the first time I had it in Japan years back. I also often order this dish whenever I visit Japanese restaurant here in US, or when I work in NYC, some of the Japanese Deli/Restaurants sell very good Katsu Curry Bento.

I bought a box of very good Kagoshima Kurobuta (かごしま黒豚, "Kagoshima black pig") chop from Japanese Supermarket few days back. 

Since it is long weekends here, I made my favorite Katsu Curry and rice and had one of the best home cook meals in months! 

在日本的时候最喜欢的其中一道美食就是咖喱猪扒饭。来美之后天凉的时候我就爱到日本餐厅叫一客咖喱猪扒饭，吃完觉得元气满满的，可以继续努力工作。

前几天买了非常好的日本黒豚肉排，趁长周末，做一次咖喱猪扒盖饭。今天的午餐是这几周来吃得最满意的了！

Shio-Koji Pork Chop 【盐麴猪排】

Shio-koji 塩麹 is my new obsession! Koji（麴）is rice that's been inoculated with the koji mold, it is an ingredient that has been used for centuries in Asia to make soy sauce, soy bean paste, miso and wine, When koji is combined with water and salt and allowed to ferment, it turns into shio-koji or salt koji.

It is the magic seasoning ingredient that is much talked in town, it adds an umami punch to food, it also tenderizes and gives meat golden glow. It allows you to cook with less salt, less fat and brings out the natural sweetness of meat without using MSG.

I first learnt about it in a Japanese series named Osen (おせん) and tasted pork belly made with it in one of our family gatherings, it was an instant love.

I bought two bottles of Shio-Koji during one of my recent visits to Mitsuwa and couldn't stop using it since.

These juicy pan-seared pork chops I made today get incredible flavor from shio koji, it turned hard to cook,often rough and chewy pork chops into tender, juicy succulent delicacy.

盐麴（Shio-Koji）是我不久前发现的宝贝！它是由米麴，盐和水混合发酵的一种调味品，米麴在亚洲已经有好几百年的历史，可以用来酿制米酒，酱油和豆酱等等，是非常重要的发酵品。

盐麴本来是日本古时候的一种调味品，后来渐渐地没落，但从2011年开始，不知为什么又开始受到追捧。现在它被认为是万能营养健康的调味品，除了各个超市都能看到它的踪迹之外，主妇们还开发出好多不同的盐麴食谱和用途呢！

它的咸度比盐低，味道更温润醇厚，而且含有分解酵素，能够把肉类里的蛋白质分解，软化肉质，还可以把食物本身的鲜甜味提现出来。据说还有抗老化，美肤，调整肠胃等等的益处哦！

我第一次接触盐麴是在日剧『料理仙姬』里，后来有一次聚餐吃到好友小苏做的盐麴烤五花肉，马上就爱上了。不久前在日本超市Mitsuwa看见盐麴，买了两瓶回来，做了好多美味的料理呢！

 

【日式溏心蛋】 Ajitsuke Tamago/味付け玉子

我是温泉蛋和溏心蛋的爱好者，每次去吃拉面都必须要另加一颗溏心蛋，在家乡的时候温泉蛋/半熟蛋也是我喜欢的早饭选择。 

俊宝自小受妈妈影响，也很喜欢吃卤蛋和溏心蛋，我们家附近有一家拉面馆，冬天我懒得做饭时经常带着宝宝去吃拉面，俊宝能吃小半碗的拉面再加半颗溏心蛋，母子俩一碗拉面再加一颗溏心蛋就是一顿饭了。 

这蛋我想自己在家做很久了，这周工作不忙，在家实验了两次，做出很满意的溏心蛋。昨晚给俊宝当晚饭，他说很牙米哦！ 

 When I have egg in whole, I love my egg yolk runny, be it fried or boiled. It is no doubt that this Japanese soft boiled egg that normally accompanying ramen could have my fancy from the day we met, I liked it so much that I will go for Ramen just for the egg!

My son AS probably get it from me, he too, loves soft boiled egg, whenever I don't feel like cooking, especially in winter time，I will pick him up from the daycare and go straight to a nearby ramen store and shared a good bowl of ramen with him, with one extra Ajitsuke Tamago.

Talking about that ramen store, it is currently closed for renovation, I am really hopeful that they will make it in time to re-open in winter so that I can have my hearty bowl of ramen again!

Japanese White Stew/日式蔬菜浓汤（ホワイトシチュー）

My son A will be 3 in a few months, I can't believe how fast he grows into a toddler with a lot to say! This summer is one of the best as he is interested in learning differently kind of vegetables and fruits, we had so much fun planting and weeding together in the garden.

I also brought him for grocery shopping a lot nowadays and let him pick whatever vegetables that he like.We had much fun learning different kinds of foods and veggies before buying.

This stew was made in last winter after one of our shopping trip, he picked the frozen vegetables and I wanted him to have some protein so I added some organic chicken in the stew.

This soup is so warming and satisfying, one pot could serve the whole family well.

俊宝再过两个星期就30个月大了，看着他嗷嗷待哺到牙牙学语，到现在能够相当完整的表达自己的意愿，当妈妈的心里即安慰也不舍，好像还没有把他抱在怀里疼够呢！他就长这么大了。

两岁以后他的食量骤减，再没有小时候的狼吞虎咽，对食物的兴趣也没有那么大了。我和俊爸都是放养派的，自他会自己吃饭后，就再没有喂过饭。我都是做好了摆在饭桌上，他能吃多少就吃多少，吃饱了洗手后就让他去玩。因为还在母乳，所以我也从来不担心他营养不足。只要他活泼健康就好。

这阵子俊宝很热心学习蔬菜和水果的名称，我除了经常带他去菜市场一起买菜，一起认识蔬菜水果之外，也在时间允许的情况下让他参与厨房的运作。还想着春天来临的时候，和他一起种些蔬菜，建立他健康的饮食习惯，从食物的来源到制作，慢慢地培养期待和幸福感。

这款日式蔬菜浓汤是俊宝蛮喜欢的一道菜，冬天的时候我常做，蔬菜的内容经常变化，通常都是冰箱里有什么，让俊宝自己选择了加到汤里炖的。做一锅全家吃，心里和胃里都暖暖的哦！

Teriyaki Sauce & Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki Chicken was my all time favourite when I was an exchange student in Japan back in the 90s, my liking for it extended to everywhere I go, I kind of like subconsciously looking for the "wow" effect it got on me the first time I had it in Japan.... with no avail....

And guess what, the way I am with things and life... I made it at home!